The rejection was "without prejudice," allowing Rosacker to revise his request and present it again at any time. A rejection "with prejudice" precludes a developer from returning before the board for at least 12 months.

His proposal was scaled down considerably this time. Rosacker wants approval for a 20,000-square-foot indoor wholesale nursery, a 43,000-square-foot office complex in four buildings and 50,100 square feet of warehouse space in six buildings.

The property adjoins Rosacker's existing nursery in an area zoned agricultural.

"Mr. Rosacker wants to bring some of his people here to work with him in a professional office building," Carpenter said.

The developer wants to build the warehouses at the back of the property and develop the rest in a linear fashion, minimizing the number of buildings close to Atlantic Avenue and the Coco Wood Lakes residential development across the street, Carpenter said.

But area residents are opposed. Cooperative member Abe Fine complained that the area is inundated with mini-warehouse storage buildings. This storage area soon would be converted to retail uses such as auto repair, Fine said, which residents find objectionable.

Carpenter agreed to a conditionto be attached to the rezoning that would prohibit any use for those buildings other than as warehouses.

But that did not mollify Fine or other area residents. Conditions can be changed or amended at any time, Fine said.

Carpenter explained in an interview after the meeting that project developer William Tinnerman wants the warehouses.

Fine and others also objected to Rosacker's plan to lease office space to outsiders.

"Now we get the first admission that some of these buildings would be used for rental purposes," Fine said, noting Rosacker initially had said that only his employees would occupy the office buildings.

Letters and petitions with 642 names were submitted by area residents opposed to Rosacker's plan.

The residents cited traffic, left-turn hazards, adding another commercial development to an area becoming highly commercialized, lack of storage facilities in the area and the beauty of the community.

Carpenter stressed that Rosacker "has owned that land for 25 years and all he wants now is to be allowed to use that land."

The county's land-use plan allows that property to be used for commercial purposes, county planners said.

Despite Carpenter's argument that the plan has been "depleted so much that there will be no significant traffic impact on the area," residents and several commissioners disagreed.

Commission Chairman Frank Behrman, noting he lives in that area, said he believes there already is too much commercial development in that area. The project is not compatible with the general area "and there is a tremendous traffic problem," Behrman said.